Lubricant distribution system and method for its operation

Abstract

A lubricant distribution system includes at least one lubricant pump, at least one metering device for distributing metered amounts of lubricant to consumption points, a sensor unit including at least one sensor element configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the metering device, and at least one programmable control unit configured to control the lubricant pump based on the detected operating parameter.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lubricant distribution system comprising:
 at least one lubricant pump, 
 at least one metering device for distributing metered amounts of lubricant to consumption points, 
 a sensor unit including at least one sensor element configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the metering device and to generate signals based on the operating parameter, and 
 at least one programmable control unit configured to receive the signals from the sensor unit and to control the lubricant pump based on the number of signals received from the sensor unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the metering device includes at least one metering piston in a metering channel, the metering piston being configured to dispense the lubricant in a metered manner to the consumption points by moving along the metering channel, 
 wherein the sensor element is configured to detect a movement of the metering piston, and 
 wherein the movement of the metering piston is the operating parameter. 
 
     
     
       3. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the control unit includes a microchip having a counter configured to count a number of the movements of the metering piston and a memory configured to store the number. 
 
     
     
       4. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the metering device includes at least one metering piston in a metering channel, the metering piston being configured to dispense the lubricant in a metered manner to the consumption points by moving along the metering channel, 
 wherein the sensor element is configured to detect a position of the metering piston, and 
 wherein the position of the metering piston is the operating parameter. 
 
     
     
       5. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control unit includes a microchip having a memory storing a cycle time and a monitoring time, and 
 wherein the microchip of the control unit includes a timer configured to measure a first duration and to measure a second duration, and 
 wherein the control unit is configured to determine if the first duration exceeds the cycle time and to determine, independently, if the second duration exceeds the monitoring time. 
 
     
     
       6. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 5 , wherein the control unit is configured to generate a fault signal if the first duration exceeds the cycle time and/or if the second duration exceeds the monitoring time. 
     
     
       7. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to switch off the lubricant pump in response to the generation of the fault signal. 
     
     
       8. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the metering device includes at least one metering piston in a metering channel, the metering piston being configured to dispense the lubricant in a metered manner to the consumption points by moving along the metering channel, 
 wherein the sensor element is configured to detect a position of the metering piston such that the operating parameter is the position of the metering piston, 
 wherein the programmable control unit is configured to count a number of strokes of the metering piston from the signals sent by the sensor element and to switch off the at least one pump when a defined stroke number is reached. 
 
     
     
       9. A lubricant distribution system comprising:
 a lubricant pump, 
 a metering device for distributing metered amounts of lubricant to consumption points, the metering device including a distributor block and a metering piston configured to move linearly within the distributor block, 
 a programmable control unit, and 
 a sensor configured to detect when the metering piston is at a particular position and send a signal to the programmable control unit in response to the metering piston being at the position, 
 wherein the programmable control unit is configured to store a first duration as a cycle time and to store a second duration as a monitoring time and to store a cycle number, and 
 wherein the programmable control unit is configured to measure a first time and to independently measure a second time and to count a number of signals received from the sensor and to control the lubricant pump based on the number of signals. 
 
     
     
       10. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 9 , wherein the programmable control unit is configured to switch off the lubricant pump if the number of signals reaches the cycle number before the first time reaches the first duration. 
     
     
       11. The lubricant distribution system according to  claim 10 , wherein the programmable control unit is configured to switch off the lubricant pump and generate a fault signal if the first time reaches the first duration before the cycle number reaches the cycle number.